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5 healthy lifestyle habits identified as lowering Alzheimer's risk
A combination of physical activity, not smoking, light alcohol consumption, a good diet and cognitive activities may help lower the risk of the disease by as much as 60 percent, a study found.
Brain activity patterns in normal adults could forecast the potential for Alzheimer’s disease years before it’s diagnosed, according to a new study.
The study from Stanford University, which was published in the journal Science Advances, found that the wiring inside human brains could reveal decades in advance who faces a higher risk of cognitive decline.
"SuperAgers" vs Alzheimer’s patients
Dig deeper:
Researchers compared two separate sets of people: "SuperAgers" (seniors over 75 whose memory equals that of healthy 50-year-olds) and patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
By examining resting-state brain scans, the team trained a machine-learning model to recognize how different areas of the brain communicate with each other.
This created a new measurement called the Aging-Related Connectome (ARC) signature, mapping out the wiring patterns of resilient brains versus vulnerable ones.
Big picture view:
Researchers tested this system on seniors who were considered completely healthy and symptom-free.
On paper and in standard memory tests, these individuals performed identically. However, the ARC system sorted them into two hidden subgroups: "SuperAger-like" and "Alzheimer-like."
Brain scans revealed that the Alzheimer-like group's brains were aging faster on a biological level, showing altered wiring across areas that regulate memory, focus, and emotion.
FILE - Late Onset Alzheimer's Disease Senile Dementia. Symmetric Enlargement Of Cerebral Sulci Suggests That Cortical Gray Matter Is Affected. Axial Cut Away View. (Photo By BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images)
Why you should care:
According to the study's lead researchers, the ARC score performed as well as—or better than—established genetic indicators and amyloid biomarkers at identifying early risk. By revealing the exact networks that keep memories intact, this map gives doctors an earlier window to detect vulnerability and provides scientists with clear brain targets to strengthen through future therapies.
What they're saying:
"We compared the ARC score with existing biomarkers in predicting people converting to Alzheimer’s disease," said Kanhao (Alex) Zhao, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar in psychiatry and lead author of the study. "Our model shows comparable or better prediction ability, and it can do so at an earlier time point. And if we combine our score with the existing biomarkers, the prediction performance improves."
The Source: Information for this article was taken from a Stanford University news release about its new study, which was published in Science Advances’ November 6, 2026 issue. This story was reported from San Jose.